[Pharmwaste] Collection How-To

[Ed Gottlieb]

With the recent results of the DEA collection being reported, it really hit me how exceptional the March collection in Ithaca, NY was.  Our second collection event is this Saturday.   

March results:  22 barrels plus 20 cases of medicated IV's.  The net weight collected was 1741 pounds (with packaging.)  Subtracting the 632 pounds of IV bags brought in by one household (the supplier kept shipping cases even after the patient died!), we collected 1109 pounds of pills, ointments, liquids, powders, etc.  Participation totaled about one percent of our areas population.  509 vehicles in six hours with the average weight dropped off per participant in line with other events. 

The thought of doing a YouTube style how-to video crossed my mind.  Park Productions, part of Ithaca College, has offered to donate the use of equipment and an experienced student would like to do it.  I still need to come up with 3-400 dollars to pay the student $10/hour to produce the video.  

Do you have any thoughts on where I can secure this small amount of funding on very short notice?  We would like to start filming this Friday.  

Thanks!

Ed Gottlieb
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
Work: (607) 273-8381
egottlieb at cityofithaca.org 
Home:  607-387-5818